Metal slitting and stretching machine.



PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904,

J. F. GQLDING. METAL SLITTING AND STRETGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0033.10, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H0 MODEL.

/N VE N 70/? WITNESSES.

PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904.

J. F. GOLDING.

METAL SLITTING AND STRETGHING MACHINE;

APPLIOATIOH FILED 0O1'.10. 1903.

H0 MODEL.

2 SHELBJQ SHBET 2.

axis

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UNITED STATES Patented August 2, 1904.

PATENT QEEICE.

METAL SLITTING AND STRETCHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 766,181, dated August 2, 1904.

Application filed October 10, 1903. Serial No. 176,497. (No model.)

To (all 717mm it may 0012 cm'n:

Be it known that I, J on}: F. GOLDING, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York andStateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal Slitting and Stretching Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of machines employed for the slitting of sheet metal, and is adapted for either the partial severing of the sheet or for entirely cutting ofi portions or strips thereof. A special adaptation of the machine (which is that hereinafter particularly described and illustrated) comprising means for bending and stretching or expanding portions of the slieet contiguous to the slits enables the invention to be employed for the production of expanded metal. It will be understood, however, that my invention may be otherwise usefullyemployed.

The invention consists in the parts and combinations thereof hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In order to make the invention more clearly understood. 1 have shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical effect without limiting my improvements in their useful applications to the particular constructions which for the purpose of illustration I have delineated.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a metal-slitting machine embodying my invention in one of its forms. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line IV of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional View of the cutter-cylinder and cutters, the same being a modification in which a plurality of sets of cutters are employed. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the cutter-cylinder, the same being a modification adapted for the entire severing of parts or strips of the sheet.

Referring to the drawings, A is a supporting-frame of any suitable construction having the necessary strength. 1 have shown the same as having legs 1, side sills Q, and top portions 3 and e. The latter are arranged to leave between them a space 5. At each end of the space 5 is a bolster 6, supporting a bearing 7. In the bearings T T are mounted the journals 8 of the cutter-carrying cylinder B. On one of the journals 8 is fixed a crank 9 by a key 10, and the wrist-pin 11 of said crank is united by a pitman 12 with a ring 13. This ring is fitted on an eccentric M, the latter being fixed on a counter-shaft 15. Said shaft is mounted in bearing-brackets 16, rising from the frame A.

17 is a collar on the shaft 15, adapted to keep the same longitudinally in position. A continuous rotation at a convenient speed is imparted to the shaft 15 by suitable power mechanism, (not shown,) which rocks or oscillates the cylinder B through the connections above described. On said cylinder are fixed two cutters (I C, their general location being longitudinal of the cylinder from end to end thereof. They are preferably situated in recesses 18, formed in the cylinder. so as to abut against shoulders 19, formed by said recesses, and are removably attached to the cylinder by screws 20. The cutters are arranged to act alternately downward as the cylinder rocks and are in the particular construction illustrated shaped for the production of expanded metal. For such purpose each cutter has a series of V-shaped projections 0, forming inclined cutting edges (1. For clearness of illustration 1 have indicated but four of the projections c; but it will be understood that the cutters may be formed with any desired number of them, according to the fineness of the reticulation to be produced and the width of the sheet to be operated on. v

The cutting edges (I, each of which is a portion of a helix described about the axis of the cylinder and is therefore equidistant at all points from said axis of rocking, are opposed by stationary cutters E E, rcmovably held by screws 21 against shoulders 22 on blocks 23. These blocks are transversely arranged on the frame A and secured by screws Qet. The cutters E E are situated one at each side of the cylinder B, and each stationary cutter has its cutting edge arranged substantially in the arcs or paths described by the movable cutting edges d as the cylinder B rocks.

The sheets of metal to be slit are indicated at X X and are fed in any suitable manner alternately over the cutters E E and under the cutters C C. They are fed under guidebars or downholds 25, which are attached by screws 26 to the blocks 23, and between side gages 27, having transverse slots 28 and screws 29, by which the gages are adjustable sidewise.

In operation the sheet to be transformed into expanded metal will be in width less than the distance between the gages 27 by a space equal to one-half the distance between the projections 0, so that as the sheet is shifted laterally from one gage to the other each succeeding series of cuts and bends will come opposite the spaces between the preceding seriesof cuts and bends, as will be understood from an inspection of the portion of expanded metal shown at Z in Fig. 1. hen a sheet of a different width is to be operated on or the movable cutters are changed for cutters of different fineness, the gages 27 are correspondingly adjusted by shifting them or one of them on the screws 29 or by putting'the screws in other holes 30. When the machine is used for stripping with the continuous cutters C, (shown in Fig. 6,) the sheets are of the full width equal to the space between the side gages.

I do not confine my invention to use without an automatic feed; but I'have shown it arranged for hand-feed, each of the sheets XX being manipulated and shoved forward step by step by a boy or other operative. The length of such feed may be determined in any convenient way, as by chalking the sheets and feeding the distance between such marks; but I prefer to employ stop-gages 31, Fig. 1, fixed on the cylinder B, so as to extend below the projections c. The lower ends 32 of these stopgages, Fig. 4, are of less radius from the axis of the cylinder than are their portions 33, which engage the sheet just as the cutters begin to'operate, so that in shoving the sheet against the parts 32 the sheet will be brought sufiiciently inward, whereupon the downward movement of the gages 31 will force the sheet slightly outward by the operation of the parts 33 and bring the sheet accurately into the position where it should be cut.

The distance from one series of cuts to the succeeding series is regulated by substituting gages 31 of different thickness, the same being removably attached to the cylinder by screws 34:.

The distance of rocking of the cylinder to produce cuts or bends of the required extent is regulatable by changing the length of stroke of the pitman 12 or by adjusting the wrist-pin 11 radially in the arm 9 in the slot 35 of the latter.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a cylinder provided with an additional pair of cutters C of different character or fineness from the cutters G C,

which may be brought into operation in place ,of the latter cutters by shifting the .cylinder B around its axis. This may be done by changing the key 10 into a different seat 36 in the journal 8.

I prefer to make the movable-cutter carrier B heavy and strong to give it rigidity and keep the edges (Z exactly in their paths without deviation from the stationary-cutter edges, and I find the solid cylindrical form well adapted for the purpose; but it will be understood that a cutter-carrier of polygonal or hollow form may be employed and that the cylinder B is typical of any rocking-cutter carrier.

In operation the sheetX is advanced against the gage 31 while the cutter C is elevated, as seen in Fig. 4. Then while the cutter C is depressed the sheet X is in turn shoved forward against its gage 31. The cut and bent sheets are fed downward step by step through the space 5. The sheet X is shown as having received seven series of cuts and bends. On the sheet- X the operation has not yet commenced; but it will be fed forward as soon as the cutter C rises.

I am aware that the cylinder B might be made tapering or conical and the cutters E E arranged at an angle to each other to fit the cutters on such a cone; but I do not regard this as a departure from my invention, the principle of operation being the same. WVhile I refer to the cutters E E as stationary, they need not be strictly so, so long as they permitthe approach of the rocking cutters and properly oppose them, and the movement of the straight-line cutters may be sufficient to allow the indented cutters (those having said projections and inclined cutting edges) to be stationary, which would be an inversion of the arrangement illustrated.

The invention is not confined to any precise number of cutters on the carrier or to two points or lines of cutting only. The shapes of the cutting edges may be varied according to the work to be done. Instead of having two pairs of differently-shaped cutters in the arrangement shown in Fig. 5 the cutters C C may be similar to the cutters C C and be brought into operation when the latter become dulled. Also the invention is not limited to obtaining the alternation of the slits by shifting the metal laterally, because it is known in this art that such alternation may be produced by shifting the cutter from side to side between strokes.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In a metal-slitting machine the combination of a rocking-cutter carrier, two cutters on different sides of the same, and cutters suitably opposing the rocking cutters for alternate operation on two sheets of metal, substantially as set forth.

2. In a metal-slitting machine the combination of two stationary cutters, two rocking outters adapted for cooperation with said stationary cutters, said rocking cutters having their edges inclined to the edges of the stationary cutters and equidistant from the axis of rocking, and means for moving the rocking cutters in arcs around said axis for alternate operation on two sheets of metal, substantially as set forth.

3. In a metal-slitting machine the combination of the cylinder B, two cutters mounted on opposite sides of the same, having their edges oppositely inclined to form projections c and at all points equidistantfrom the axis of the cylinder, the stationary cutters, and means for rocking said cylinder, substantially as set forth.

i. Ina metal-slitting machine the combination of a cutter arranged to rock on an axis, having its cutting edges oppositely inclined to form metal-bending projections and arranged to come to the same cutting-line, an opposing cutter adapted to cooperate with the rocking cutter at said line, and means for rocking the first cutter on said axis, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the carrier A mounted to rock on an axis, a cutter fixed on said carrier having its edge formed with cutting edges (l oppositely inclined to each other, and with metal-bending portions extending laterally from said edges and adapted to enter the metal and stretch the same in the direction of the line of cutting, an opposing cutter along the edge of which said edges (Z are arranged to operate, and means for rocking said carrier, the rocking cutter being arranged to operate first at the apex of the inclined edges and thence in both directions alongsaid edges, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of the carrier A mounted to rock on an axis, a cutter held on the carrier and formed with oppositely-inclined cutting edges and metal-bending projections near said edges, an opposing cutter, mechanism for rocking said carrier and means for regulating the arc of rocking to determine the length of cut and depth of bend produced by said edges and projections, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of the carrier mounted to rock on an axis, a cutter held on the carrier, an opposingcutter, mechanism for rocking the carrier, and a gage on the carrier shaped as described to force back the sheet to the accurate position for cutting, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of the carrier mounted to rock on an axis, a plurality of cutters held thereon, an opposing cutter, mechanism for rocking the carrier and means for adjusting the carrier relative to said mechanism to bring either of its cutters into position for cooperation with said opposing cutter, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination of the carrier mounted to rock on an-axis, a plurality of pairs of cutters held on the carrier, a pair of opposing cutters, mechanism for rocking the carrier and means for adjusting the carrier around its axis to bring either of its pairs of cutters into cooperation with the pair of opposing cutters, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination of the carrier mounted to rock on an axis, a cutter held on the carrier and formed with projections c and cutting edges (Z inclined to each other, an opposing cutter, mechanism for rocking the carrier, and the adjustable side gages 27 for determining the lateral throw of the plate being 0perated on relative to said projections, substantially as set forth.

11. In a metal-slitting machine the combination of two cooperating cutters, one of said cutters having inclined cutting edges and metal-bending projections near said edges extending laterally therefrom and arranged to enter the metal and stretch the same in a direction longitudinal of the cutters, and means for turning one of said cutters on an axis, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN F. GOLDING.

\Yitnesses:

MERRILL \VA'rsox, LYMAN S. STONE. 

